Muna Moto Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		2.0
Overall		4.0

Muna Moto Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman February 17, 2023

Note: This film is available on Blu-ray as part of the Criterion release of Martin Scorsese's World Cinema Project, No. 4.

Criterion is often described as the very paradigm of a "niche" collector label, and in that regard, there may be nothing Criterion has offered over the years that is more "niche" than their series of World Cinema Project offerings, all bearing the rather notable imprimatur of one Martin Scorsese. This fourth volume follows in the footsteps of the previous three collections and offers another often bracing aggregation of little or at least lesser known films, some from rather unusual places and also at times addressing subjects that are not regular fodder for big budget Hollywood extravaganzas.

Reviews of the previous three volumes in this series, all of which offer some really interesting and worthwhile films, are accessible by clicking on the following links:

Martin Scorsese's World Cinema Project, No. 1 Blu-ray review

Martin Scorsese's World Cinema Project, No. 2 Blu-ray review

Martin Scorsese's World Cinema Project, No. 3 Blu-ray review

One of the subtexts that informs at least some of the other offerings in this fourth volume of World Cinema Project is the rigors and devastating effects of colonial occupation on "native" cultures, but rather bracingly Muna Moto reveals that even "native" cultures can have their own issues with tradition and oppression, leading to at least serious dismay, if not outright tragedy. Muna Moto takes what is in essence a kind of Cameroonian version of Romeo and Juliet and refracts it through the story of two "star crossed lovers" named Ngando (David Endene) and Ndomé (Arlette Din Bell) who aren't really kept apart due to any interfamily animus, but more because of local customs governing the need of a sizable dowry in order to get married.

While the underlying story here is relatively straightforward, and (as with some others in this collection) absolutely "fraught" from an emotional perspective, director Jean-Pierre Dikongué Pipa further stylizes things by deconstructing the narrative into an unchronological set of flashback vignettes, with the veritable "fourth wall" coming close to be shattered on several occasions. The film's alternate title The Child of Another alludes to some roiling consequences stemming from what amounts to Ndomé's forced marriage to another even after becoming pregnant with Ngando's child.

Muna Moto Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Muna Moto is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of The Criterion Collection with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 1.37:1. Some introductory text before the main feature provides the following information on the restoration:

This restoration is part of the African Film Heritage Project, an initiative created by The Film Foundation's World Cinema Project, the Pan African Federation of Filmmakers and UNESCO - in collaboration with Cineteca di Bologna - to help locate, restore and disseminate African cinema.

The 4K restoration of Muna moto was made from the 35 mm original camera and sound negatives and a second generation duplicate negative.

Despite wet gate scanning to minimize mold damage, some sections of the camera negative had to be replaced by scanning the duplicate negative.

Following director Dikongué Pipa's suggestion, the duplicate negative was also used for the opening and closing cards, which differed from the original negative. A vintage 35 mm print was used as a reference for picture grading.

Even more detailed information is imparted in Criterion's insert booket:

Muna Moto is presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.37:1. This digital transfer was created in 4K resolution on an Arriscan film scanner from the 35 mm original camera negative. . .The monaural soundtrack was restored from the 35 mm original soundtrack negative. The film was restored in 2019 by the Cineteca di Bologna / L'Immagine Ritrovata and The Film Foundation's World Cinema Project, with special thanks to the Cinematheque Royale de Belgique.

The back cover of the DigiPack mentions the "luminous black and white cinematography" and this transfer preserves a really lush and nicely modulated accounting of both general gray scale as well as the tonal extremes toward white and black. While not specifically addressed in any of the technical information imparted in this set (that I could find, anyway), the IMDb actually discloses a 16 mm source, which may explain a somewhat pronounced grain field, one which nonetheless resolves without any issues. Some of the outdoor material (most of the film takes place outside) can show noticeable variances in detail levels, some of which is due to lighting conditions, but on the whole fine detail is secure, especially in some of the close-ups. I'm assuming the use of the secondary element accounts for some interstitial moments of relatively fuzziness, though any mold issues seem to have been largely ameliorated.

Muna Moto Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Muna Moto features an LPCM Mono track in a combo platter of languages including French, Duala and Basaa. The film's sound design is in some ways just as stylized as its visual component, with ethnic drums filling the air and with a number of other almost near hallucinogenic effects at times in terms of crowd noises or even the background clamor of village life. Dialogue is rendered cleanly and clearly throughout. Optional English subtitles are available.

Muna Moto Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Criterion has packaged Chess of the Wind and Muna Moto together on one disc. After selecting an individual film, supplements exclusive to that film are then accessible, as follows:

• Martin Scorsese Introduction (HD; 3:16)


• The Many Moods of Muna Moto (HD; 18:23) features Dikong---- and African cinema historian and film critic Ferid Boughedir. Subtitled in English.

Muna Moto Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

A long and detailed essay about Muna Moto in Criterion's lavish insert booklet included with this release states that Dikongué Pipa considers this to be a very personal story "ripped from the headlines" of actual individual experience, but the film still has a universal message about the dangers of "tradition". Technical merits are solid (especially considering the damage that was apparently on display), and the main supplement very enjoyable. Recommended.